Former Qaeda commander sentenced to 30 years for war crimes in Afghanistan
A former Qaeda commander, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term by a U.S. military jury for war crimes committed by his insurgent forces in Afghanistan in the early 2000s. However, under a plea agreement, his sentence will end in just eight years.
The military judge excused the panel from the chamber before announcing the sentence, which was part of the military commissions system that allows prisoners to reach plea deals with senior Pentagon officials overseeing the war court.
Despite arguments for leniency based on Mr. Hadi’s early mistreatment in C.I.A. custody, cooperation with U.S. investigators, and failing health, the jury handed down the maximum sentence. The 63-year-old prisoner was aware of the reduced sentence in the plea deal, which started with his guilty plea in June 2022.
Mr. Hadi’s case was unique at the court, as there was no suggestion in his plea agreement that he knew about the Sept. 11 attacks beforehand. Instead, he admitted to commanding insurgent forces that carried out attacks using civilians as cover, resulting in the deaths of 17 U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Despite his potential release in 2032, Mr. Hadi’s future remains uncertain. War court prosecutors argue that he may be held at Guantánamo even after his sentence ends, as long as the war against terrorism continues. Alternatively, the United States could transfer him to a partner nation capable of providing specialized healthcare and monitoring his activities.
